Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1887-04-08

Cc1lcu eAAC pe1tSbCC VI JIASUACc.
had never seen a criminal trial in
g. Mexican court, and everything was
new to mo. The alcade presided with
great dignity. He was assisted by a
prosecuting officer and several advo-
Gates, as they call their lawyers, were
also on hand. The court room was
filled with crowd OF eager spectators
all talking, swearing, and shaking their
fists at the prisoner. The robber,
Francisco, was the most unconcerned
looking man in the crowd. Surround
ed by alguaZis, he was not handcutfed,
and when he saw me he smiled and
made me a polite bow.
The proceedings dragged all through
the weary day. My limited knowledge
of the language made it impossible for
me to follow everything that was said
but understood that an effort was
being made to prove an alibi.
Three men with rather honest faces
swore that ON o'clock ON the prev-
Gus evening they had lmbibed pulque
with Francisco at little village twenty
miles west Of San Pablo. If they tod
the truth, OF course my robber could
not have been Francisco.
1t Initiated me to see so much i'm
portance attached to the alibi and to
my case, because had been led to be-
lieve that the prisoner would be held
anyhow, as he was wanted for other
crimes, and big reward had been Of
Tered for him. [ was told, however,
that in Hucatan q prisoner when he
demands q trial, must be tried or re-
leased inside Of twelve hours. In order
to hold him, therefore, the San Pablo
authorities had to make the most OF
my evidence.
The aljli business worried the
old alctde not "a little. The
three witnesses who swore to meet
ing Francisco on the afternoon before
were reputable men. On the other
hand | was g. stranger and an Ameri-
can. Several times during the day I
Was recalled to the stand and examin-
ed and cross examined. The utmost
courtesy characterized the exan1ina.
ton, but it had a latitude that would
not have been permitted in an A,neri-
can court. Frequently spectator
would interrupt with a. question, or
make a suggestion to the alcade. Once
Francisco remarked that he way tired,
and would take it as a favor if the
court would hurry up!
Towards the close OF the day / saw
man on the outskirts Of hespectators
whose face and manner attracted my
attention. He was the very image OF
Francisco, the prisoner.
/ changed my position so as to get
a better view The resemblance was
wonderfully striking. The man Was
just Francisco's age, height, size and
complexion. His sombrero shaded
his right temple and prevented me
from seeing whether it bore the pecul-
lar scar which dis6gured the robber
His costume was the same as Fran
cisco's, but, as nearly everybody wore
homespun OF the same color and pat
tern, this didn't excite my surprise.
elf be has the scar" muttered,
''he could pass anywhere for Francis
CO. 1t would be impossible to tell
them apart"
Naturally began to understand the
alibi The men who swore that they
saw the highwayman twenty miles
away from the scene Of his crime at
the very moment he was tying my
hands, might honestly be mistaken.
They had seen this mysterious stran.
ger. But they had sworn to the scar.
Could it be possible that the stran-
gers face bore such a mark?
I determined to edge my way to him
in the crowd and accidentally knock
OFT his sombrero in order to look for
the fiery crescent:
When reached that side OF the
building the man was gone. | made
every effort to find him, but finally
gave it up. He had either left the
room or had shifted his position, keep
ing other persons between us so as to
screen him from my view.
AS it was growing dark. four tallow
candles were lighted, but the gloomy
stone walls made the room look al
most as dark as ever.
was wondering what would be the
outcome of the case, when the lights
were suddenly blown out.
keep in your places!" shouted an
alguazil. "Order in the palace OF JUS
tice!'
The candles were re~lighted, and then
ever been beheld in a court room or
anywhere else.
In front OF the alcalde's bench stood
two scar-faced men as much alike as
two brown peas!
"Merciful saints!' calculated an al
quail. "Do see double, or are there
two Franciscos?'
cit is the work of the DEVIL" sug-
gested a pious old man, as he crossed
himself,
My friend, the old alcalde, put on
his spectacles, and looked sharply at
the two men.
"Francisco!' he called.
Each OF the two men gave a jerk OF
his head, and answered to the name.
"Let the American senior take the
stand" ordered the alcalde.
In response to the questions put to
me I admitted that could not poiut
out the real Francisco.
Three witnesses called to establish
the alibi were recalled. They shared
my bewilderment, and could throw no
light upon the case.
The alcalde scratched his head.
Then he touched one of the doubles
with his cane.
"You, now" he said, "what is your
name?"
"Francisco." was the reply.
''Your residence and occupation?"
II have none. am travelling
about"
The alcalde turned to the other man.
"What is your name?"
"Francisco."
"Your residence and occupation?"
II have none. I am travelling
about" ~